| 2021 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| CFP New Year's Six 53rd Peach Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Mercedes-Benz Stadium inAtlanta, Georgia, hosted the Peach Bowl. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | January 1, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Off.:Jack Podlesny (K, Georgia) Def.:Azeez Ojulari (LB, Georgia)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Georgia by 6[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Jeff Flanagan (ACC)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 15,301 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ESPN andESPN Radio | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | ESPN:Mark Jones (play-by-play) Dusty Dvoracek (analyst) Kris Budden (sideline) ESPN Radio:Dave O'Brien andMike Golic Jr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The2021 Peach Bowl was acollege footballbowl game between theGeorgia Bulldogs andCincinnati Bearcats that was played on January 1, 2021, with kickoff scheduled for 12:30 p.m.EST onESPN.[4] It was the 53rd edition of thePeach Bowl, and was one of the2020–21 bowl games concluding the2020 FBS football season. Sponsored by restaurant chainChick-fil-A, the game was officially known as theChick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The game averaged 8.72 million viewers, becoming the most viewed non-semifinal Peach Bowl.[5] Georgia represented theSoutheastern Conference (SEC) and Cincinnati represented theAmerican Athletic Conference (AAC).The game was the final game of the2020 football season for each team and resulted in a 24–21 Georgia victory.
As one of theNew Year's Six bowl games, the participants of the game were determined by the College Football Playoff selection committee. The committee matched No. 8[a]Cincinnati of theAmerican Athletic Conference (The American) against No. 9[a]Georgia of theSoutheastern Conference (SEC).[6] Georgia had won both of the teams' prior two meetings, in 1942 and 1976.[7]
Georgia entered the bowl with a 7–2 record, all in SEC contests. Georgia played five ranked teams, losing toAlabama andFlorida while defeatingAuburn,Tennessee, andMissouri. The Bulldogs had a 3–2 record in prior Peach Bowls, most recently appearing in, and winning, the2006 Chick-fil-A Bowl when it was known by that name.
Cincinnati entered the bowl with a 9–0 record. After going 6–0 in conference play, the Bearcats defeatedTulsa in theAAC Championship Game. Cincinnati defeated three ranked teams during the season: Tulsa,Army, andSMU. This was the first appearance by the Bearcats in a Peach Bowl.
Cincinnati lead 21-10 going into the fourth quarter with Georgia having not scored a touchdown since the first quarter.
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Georgia's comeback win marked Kirby Smart's biggest comeback win at his tenure with Georgia.[8]
Georgia got the ball first and was forced to punt on the first drive. One Cincinnati's first drive they were also forced to punt. On the ensuing Georgia drive punterJake Camarda's shanked 4 yard punt put Cincinnati in UGA territory.Desmond Ridder capped off the Bearcats drive with a 14 yard touchdown pass to Alec Pierce. After aJT Daniels interception and Cincinnati punt, Georgia got on the board on a 16 yardGeorge Pickens touchdown to end the first quarter with a 7-7 tie.
The two teams traded possessions before Cincinnati missed a field goal. Georgia responded with a 38 yard Jack Podlesney field goal to give Georgia their first lead of the game. The Bearcats would answer back with an 11 yard touchdown to give them a 14-10 lead at half time.
Cincinnati scored on a 79 yard touchdown run byJerome Ford on the second play of the half. On the next drive, Georgia drove down to the Bearcats 18 yard line before a JT Daniels fumble gave the ball back to Cincinnati. The two teams traded turns with the ball with neither team scoring.
The fourth quarter started with Cincinnati having the ball. Georgia linebackerAzeez Ojulari sacked Desmond Ridder forcing a fumble.Adam Anderson would pick it up for Georgia giving them the ball in Bearcat territory. The Bulldogs would score on aZamir White touchdown run on the following possession. Cincinnati would punt and a Georgia 32 yard field goal shortened the Bearcat's 21-19 lead. The teams then traded punts. The Bulldogs started burning timeouts and Cincinnati was a first down away from winning. It was third down and two. Ridder threw an incomplete pass giving Georgia one last chance to win. JT Daniels lead Georgia to the Bearcat 36 yard line. Jack Podlesney would then make a 53-yard field goal, tying the Peach Bowl record for longest field goal,[9] to give Georgia a 22-21 lead with two seconds remaining. On the last play of the game Azeez Ojulari would sack Ridder in the end zone for a safety to seal a 24-21 Georgia victory.[10]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 9 Georgia | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| No. 8 Cincinnati | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
atMercedes-Benz Stadium •Atlanta, Georgia
| Game information |
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| Statistics | UGA | CIN |
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| First downs | 19 | 16 |
| Plays–yards | 63–449 | 64–305 |
| Rushes–yards | 24–45 | 27–99 |
| Passing yards | 404 | 206 |
| Passing:comp–att–int | 27–39–1 | 24–37–0 |
| Time of possession | 28:36 | 31:24 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | Passing | JT Daniels | 26/38, 392 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Zamir White | 11 carries, 39 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | George Pickens | 7 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD | |
| Cincinnati | Passing | Desmond Ridder | 24/37, 206 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Jerome Ford | 8 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Michael Young | 4 receptions, 59 yards |
The following season bothGeorgia andCincinnati made theCollege Football Playoff. Despite not winning, the Peach Bowl was seen as a statement game for Cincinnati and The Group of 5. Georgia finished the year with a perfect 12-0 record before losing toAlabama in the2021 SEC Championship. Cincinnati finished undefeated at 13-0. Georgia playedMichigan in the2021 Orange Bowl, winning 34-11.[11] Cincinnati played Alabama in the2021 Cotton Bowl, losing 27-6.[12] Georgia re-matched Alabama in the2022 National Championship Game winning 33-18 to claim their first Championship since1980.